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Coffee and Prostate Cancer

The Prostate Gland is a walnut sized organ situated just below the urinary bladder in males. It surrounds the bladder neck and the proximal portion of the ureter where it sometimes causes urinary passage obstruction when enlarged appreciably. We call this Urinary Obstruction due to BPH (Benign Prostate Hypertrophy). This will be a topic for another post. The prostate gland is present only in males and is an important organ in male reproductive system. It can also be prone to cancerous growth because it is an organ that grows throughout the life of a man.

It is said that 1 in 6 men if live long enough will develop prostate cancer and in the U.S., it is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in males and the second leading cause of cancer death after lung cancer among men.

We have a good news.

In medscape.com, a site dedicated to information and improvement in medical practice, Dr. Sandra Fryhofer in Medicine Matters has this to say:

The topic:

A new study finds habitual coffee drinkers less likely to get prostate cancer.

“In the Health Professionals Follow-up Study, 48,000 men were observed for more than 20 years. During that period, more than 5000 were diagnosed with prostate cancer and nearly 650 either died or had metastatic disease. They were questioned about their coffee consumption, and the findings reveal some interesting trends. Men who drank the most coffee, 6 or more cups per day, had a nearly 20% lower risk overall of developing prostate cancer, and had a 60% lower risk of developing lethal (metastatic or fatal) prostate cancer. Even moderate coffee intake seemed to confer protection. Men who drank 1-3 cups daily still reaped benefits, with a 30% lower risk for lethal prostate cancer. Coffee intake has also been linked to a lower risk for other diseases, including type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, liver cancer and gallstones. What is responsible for these apparently protective effects? In the study under discussion, coffee did not induce healthy behaviors overall. These coffee-drinkers were more likely to smoke and less likely to exercise. Protection was also seen in decaf drinkers. So, it’s not the caffeine. What is it?Coffee contains substances that act as antioxidants that reduce inflammation and have been associated with lower risk for advanced prostate cancer. They include the following:Lignans and phytoestrogens, antioxidants that affect glucose levels;Chlorogenic acids, which inhibit glucose absorption and alter gut hormone levels that regulate insulin secretion (remember, insulin and insulin-like growth factors can promote tumors); andIncreased sex-hormone binding globulin and increased total testosterone levels.The role of sex hormones is somewhat confusing. Although testosterone may be involved initially in the development of prostate cancer, it may also limit disease progression.

Further study is needed to confirm the findings in this study”.

So folks, you’ve heard it. Till we get more information and further studies on the intake of coffee and prostate conditions (especially, prostate cancer), that cup of coffee could just be the life saver. What do you say?